Memorandum
City of Lawrence
City Attorney’s Office
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TO: |
Mayor and Commissioners |
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FROM: |
Commissioner Mike Amyx and Toni R. Wheeler, City Attorney Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager Brandon McGuire, Assistant to the City Manager Lori Carnahan, Human Resources Manager |
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DATE: |
July 2, 2015 |
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RE: |
Executive Search Services for City Manager |
Background
At its regular meeting on May 19, 2015, the City Commission directed city staff to issue a Request for Proposals for executive search services for the position of City Manager. The Commission requested that Commissioner Amyx and Vice Mayor Soden work with city staff to recommend a firm to the full City Commission.
RFP Process
City staff posted the RFP to Demand Star on May 26th, published it in the Lawrence Journal World, and emailed it directly to firms that have strong reputations for conducting national searches for municipal executives. The City received nine excellent proposals from firms specializing in executive searches. City staff reviewed the proposals and recommended three firms for interviews. On Monday, June 15th, the team interviewed (via video conference) representatives from three firms. The interview team was impressed with the quality of all of the firms that submitted proposals and that were interviewed.
Recommendation
The city team recommends Ralph Andersen & Associates because the firm’s approach and timeline align with the City’s goals for the search. The firm is recognized as a leader in executive searches in the municipal arena, had positive references from cities that had used the firm in the past, and the firm has knowledge and experience recruiting executives in the Midwest. The firm assisted the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority in hiring its current executive director, Shannon Oury, and therefore, has had experience recruiting for our community. In recent years, Ralph Andersen & Associates has also helped Kansas City hire a number of its directors and managers.
Contract Terms
The Professional Services Agreement provides that Ralph Andersen & Associates will provide the following services: position analysis, position advertising, candidate identification, resume review and screening, preliminary candidate interviews, detailed reference checks, recruitment report, client-finalist interviews, final interview assistance, and follow up.
The firm will be paid $26,200 for the work, which shall include expenses such as consultant travel, clerical, graphic and research services, long-distance charges, postage and delivery charges. The fixed fee includes up to two days of stakeholder meetings. If additional days of stakeholder meeting are desired, the firm will bill the City at the rate of $1200 per day, plus the consultant’s travel expenses.
Under the work plan, the Project Director, Greg Nelson, will meet in person with the Mayor, City Commission, and city staff to discuss the project, review the work plan, and confirm timing and communication methods. Mr. Nelson will return to Lawrence to review the top candidates with the City Commission, and again when the commission interviews the finalists.
Ralph Andersen & Associates provides a guarantee in the Agreement. If, during the first year of the employment, the new City Manager resigns or is dismissed for cause by the City, the firm will perform another search for a City Manager for no professional services fee.
Action
Authorize the Mayor to execute the Professional Service Agreement for Executive Search Services in substantially the form of the attached agreement with Ralph Andersen & Associates, if appropriate.